Vending-machine.



E. F. SPAULDING.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION man JULY 1, 1915.

Patented May 2, 1916.

INI/E/VTOH 17/ A TTOR/VEY ELIJAH IE. SPAULDING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VENDING-MACHINE.

Application filed July 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELIJAH F. SPAULD- ING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Vlachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to improved means to permit the delivery of articles of merchandise only upon the insertion of the proper coin in the coin slot of a machine, and also to prevent operation of the machine after the last article of a stack of articles has been delivered.

My invention comprises novel details of improvement and combinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein,

Figure 1 is a face view of a vending machine embodying my improvements, illustrating parts in operated position, a wall or door of the machine being removed; Figs. 52 and 3 are side views of a portion of the machine showing the parts in different positions; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the parts in the normal or inoperated position; Fig. 5 is a sectional view looking from the righthand side of Fig. 4, a side wall being removed; Fig. 6 is a sectional view substantially on the line 6, 6, in Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 7, 7, in Fig. 4.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a suitable casing or box adapted to contain mechanism hereinafter referred to, which casing is shown provided with a suitable door or wall 2, which may be pivotally connected with the casing at 3, and which may be retained closed in any manner, such as by a suitable lock. Within casing 1 is a wall 4 spaced at a suitable distance from the wall 1 of the casing and providing a chute or magazine at 5 in which the articles 6 to be vended are stacked. The upper part of wall 4 is shown cut away at 4 to admit the an ticles 6 to magazine 5. At the lower part of chute or magazine 5 is an oscillatory support 7 for the articles 6, which support is pivotally mounted in the side walls of the casing, as upon a shaft 8 journaled in said Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Serial No. 37,413.

walls. The lowermost article 6 rests upon support 7, and when the latter is rocked it will release the lowermost article and pass under the articles above to retain the latter from discharge until the support has been rocked back and is again operated. Support 7 is provided with a projection 7 located in such position as to engage the ar ticle 6 next above the lowermost article of the stack to limit the rotation of support 7 in a direction to release the article thereon, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, the arrangement being such that after the last article of the stack has been delivered, and the projection 7 is then no longer obstructed by an article 6, the support 7 may be given a further rotation (to the right in Fig. 6) for a purpose hereinafter stated. A slide 9 is mounted for vertical movement at one side of wall 4, and between the latter and the side wall 1 of casing 1, which slide 9 is provided with a rack or tooth-like portion 9 adapted to engage a pinion 10 secured to support 7, as by being attached to shaft 8, whereby when said slide and rack are raised and lowered the support 7 will be oscillated. In the normal position of the parts shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the'support 7 will be in position to retain the stack of goods, and when said slide and rack are raised, as in Figs. 2 and 3, the support 7 will be rotated to deliver the lowermost article and to pass under the upper articles. A dog 12 is pivotally attached to slide 9, as at 13, and said dog is shown provided with a weighted portion at 1% to normally cause the upper end of the dog to rest below a stop or pin 14 secured on plate 4, a suitable stop against which the dog rests normally maintaining it in such position, as indicated in Fig. 4. This arrangement prevents the slide 9 from being raised to operate support 7 unless a coin tilts the dog 12 out of the path of stop 14, as indicated in Fig. 1, and has caused the projecting end of said dog to pass over a projection 15" of a slide 15, which projection may be formed by suitably cutting away a part of said slide. Slide 15 is shown guided for vertical or up and down movement between the wall 1 of the casing and slide 9, .and the projection 15 is normally below the part 12 of dog 12. The casing may be provided with bulfers 16, 17, such as rubber, respectively above and below slide 15, to resist the impact of the latter as it is raised and lowered. Slide 15 may be operated by means of a knob or handle 18 secured thereto and projecting through a suitable slot in the wall 1.

When a proper coin 19 is passed into the machine through the coin slot at 20, it is guided to a position to engage dog 12 to tilt its projecting end 12 to one side and over projection 15 as indicated in Fig. 1, whereby when slide 15 is raised, it will cause dog 12 to be raised to thereby in turn raise slide 9 to cause. rotation of support 7. In the absence of a coin in engagement with dog 12, the latter will be tilted backwardly under stop 11 to prevent raising of slide 9, although slide 15 may be operated without effect. The coin chute I have illustrated is provided between wall 4 and a plate 21 secured thereon and suitably spaced therefrom, said. plate having a ledge 22 upon which the coin rolls and off which the coin falls in the space between the end of ledge 22 and a stop 23, whereby the coin is caused to fall downwardly against the inclined stop 21, which in turn causes the coin to fall upon a downwardly inclined ledge 25 that is so positioned that a coin of proper dimensions will temporarily rest between the righthand edge (Fi 1-) of ledge 25 and dog 12. The weight of the coin in such position causes the dog to be tilted from under stop 1-1 with its portion 12 over projection 15 of slide 15. To release the coin the ledge 25 is carried upon a movable finger or the like 26, which may be secured to wall 4: at 27, which finger has a normal inward spring tendency serving to retain ledge 25 in position to receive coins. The finger 26 may be made of spring metal for the purpose stated. When the slide 9 has been raised a suitable distance the ledge 25 is moved to one side from under the coin to permit the latter to drop away to the lower part of the casing, as at the bottom of the door 2. For this purpose I have shown slide 15 as provided with a downwardly inclined edge portion 15 that is adapted to engage the adjacent end of finger 26 when slide 15 is raised, to cause the finger to be moved sidewise and withdraw ledge 25 from under the coin to permit the latter to drop. The normal position of the inclined edge 15 with respect to finger 26 is such as to permit slide 15 to be raised a suitable distance before the coin is released from ledge 25. If a token is inserted in the coin slot and which is not of suiiicient weight to tilt the dog 12 into coaction with projection 15*, said token will be released when slide 15 is raised to cause ledge 25 to be moved from under such token, and the same e'lfect applies if the token is too small in diameter, and of too light weight to push the dog into coof too light weigth to push the dog into coaetion with slide 15. Also, if a token has sufficient weight to tilt dog 12but not sufiicient diameter such token will slide below from between ledge 25 and dog 12. At 28 is a permanent magnet which may form the abutment 23 and which has a lower rounded corner at 28, whereby it a magnetizable token be inserted in the coin slot the magnet will attract the token and cause it to fall away to the left, without dropping upon the stop 24: or passing to dog 12.

I provide means to prevent the passage to the dog 12 of tokens that have apertures therein, such as washers, to cause said tokens to fall away below without permitting delivery of goods. To this end I provide what I term a washer-catcher, shown in the form of a finger 30 pivotally supported at 31 upon plate 21, which finger normally projects through a hole 32 in said plate across the path of coins through the coin chute or passageway to the dog 12, said finger being shown located above the ledge Said finger is suitably inclined so that coins may engage the finger and push it to one side to enable the coins to rest between ledge 25 and dog 12. If an apertured token, such as a washer, be inserted in the coin slot, it will, when it engages the finger 30, push it to one side, and said finger will immediately be returned and will enter the hole in the token to retain the same upon the ledge 25. The finger may be weighted or operated by a spring to cause it to normally extend across the path of coins or tokens, and said finger is shown provided with a stop projection 30 to engage plate 21 to limit outward movement of the finger. l/Vhen a token is caught upon finger 30 it will be released upon the raising of slide 15, by reason of the inclined edge 15 of said slide causing the finger 26 to move the ledge 25 from underneath the token, which will then slide down off the inclined finger, and will thus be prevented from engaging dog 12.

In order to prevent slide 9 from being reciprocated to deliver more than one article for a coin, I provide a spring finger 35 which is secured upon. plate 1 and projects toward slides 9 and 15, which finger has a lateral projection 35 adapted to enter a notch or recess 9 in slide 9 when said slide has been elevated as high as it can rise at the time that the projection 7 of support 7 engages an article 6, (Fig. 6). When the slides have been raised to the height permitting delivery of the lowermost article 6 from support 7, part 35 of spring 35 will enter notch 9 and retain slide 9 elevated until slide 15 descends and causes its inclined upper edge portion 15 to engage with the outer end of spring 35, to push the latter laterally and withdraw part 35 of finger 35 from recess 9, whereupon slide 9 may return to normal. The slide 15 has a recess 15 substantially coinciding in some positions with the recess 9 of slide 9, the edge 15 of recess 15 being in position to engage and rest upon spring finger 35 when slide 15 has been raised to its highest limit as permitted when there is no article in the magazine, since at such time projection 7 of support 7 may swing over into the magazine. In such position of the parts, as indicated in Fig. 3, the finger 35 will retain both slides elevated and at such time the slide 15 will pass in front of the coin slot 20, to prevent further insertion of coins into the machine in the absence of goods therefrom. A projection 36 connected with finger 35 enables the latter to be pulled out of the recesses of slides 9 and 15 when the parts are to be reset for use.

When the parts are in their normal positions and the goods are in the chute or magazine 5, the projecting part 12 of dog 12 will be higher than the projection 15 so that when the proper coin is passed through the coin slot and rests between the ledge 25 and dog 12 it will cause said dog to tilt over the projection 15, and then when slide 15 is raised it will raise dog 12 which in turn will raise slide 9 and the latter will cause rotation of support 7 until the projection 7 engages an article 6 to prevent further rise or" slides 9 and 15. When slide 9 has been raised to the highest limit it is permitted, the projection 35 passes into recess 9 and then slide 15 may descend, and since proj ection 15 then passes from below the part 12 of dog 12, the latter will fall away from slide 15 to prevent slide 9 from again being raised until another coin has been inserted. Further descent of slide 15 then causes its inclined part 15 to engage spring 35 and withdraw its projection 35 from slide 9 which will thereupon drop to its normal position and allow dog 12 to rest under stop 1%. The same actions occur for each coin inserted until the last article has been clelivered, and since the normal tendency of the operator would be to raise handle or knob 18 to its top limit, the slide 15 will be raised sufficiently high (projection 7 permitting sufficient rotation of support 7) until finger 35 enters notch 15 of slide 15 and projection 35 enters notch or recess 9 and both slides will be retained elevated. When the parts are to be restored to their normal positions door 2 is opened and spring 35 is pulled out to release the slides.

Changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangements of parts shown and described, as the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention what I claim is l. A vending machine comprising a member, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, and means to permit a coin to cause the dog to engage the second named slide.

2. A vending machine comprising a member, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, means to permit a coin to cause the dog to engage the second named slide, a finger to coact with the first named slide to retain the latter in an elevated position, and means upon the second named slide to cause the finger to release the first named slide.

3. A vending machine comprising a member, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, means to permit a coin to cause the dog to engage the second named slide, a finger to coact with the first named slide to retain the latter in an elevated position, means upon the second named slide to cause the finger to release the first named slide, the second named slide having means to engage the finger to retain the slide in operated position.

4. A vending machine comprising a memher, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, means to permit a coin to cause the dog to engage the second named slide, a finger to coact with the first named slide to retain the latter in an elevated position, means upon the second named slide to cause the finger to release the first named slide, the second named slide having means to engage the finger to retain the slide in operated position, and means operatively connected with said member to limit the longitudinal movement of the second named slide.

5. A vending machine comprising a member, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog, to

raise the first named slide, means to permit a coin to cause the dog to engage the second named slide, the first named slide having a notch, a finger having a projection to enter said notch to retain the slide in an elevated position, and means upon the second named slide to cause the finger to be withdrawn from said notch.

6. A vending machine comprising a member, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second her, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, means to permit a coin to cause the dog to engage the second named slide, the first named slide having a notch, a finger having a projection to enter said notch to retain the slide in an elevated position, the second named slide having an inclined portion adapted to engage said finger to withdraw the dog from the notch of the first named slide, the second named slide having a notch to receive said finger to retain said slide in operated position.

8. A vending machine comprising a memher, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, said machine having a coin slot and a passageway for coins provided with a ledge spaced from the dog, means movably supporting the ledge, and means coactive between one of said slides and said ledge to cause the latter to release a coin that operates the dog.

9. A vending machine comprising a memher, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, said machine having a coin slot and a passageway for coins provided with a ledge spaced from the dog, means movably supporting the ledge, a spring-acting finger carrying said ledge, the second named slide having an inclined portion to coact with the finger to cause the ledge to be withdrawn from under a coin and release the latter from the dog.

10. A vending machine comprising a member, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, said machine having a coin slot and a passageway for coins provided with a ledge spaced from the dog, means movably supporting the ledge,'means coactive between one of said slides and said ledge to cause the latter to release a coin that operates the dog, a finger pivotally supporting and normally in the path of a coin to said ledge, said finger being adapted to be moved by a coin and to enter an opening in a token to retain the latter on the ledge, and means to cause the ledge to move from under the token to release the latter from said finger.

11. A vending machine comprising a member, a slide operatively connected with said member, a dog carried by said slide, a stop normally in the path of said dog, a second slide having means to coact with said dog to raise the first named slide, said ma- .chme havmg a coin slot and a passageway for coins provided with a ledge spaced from the dog, means movably supporting the ledge, means coactive between one of said slides and said ledge to cause the latter to release a coin that operates the dog, a finger pivotally supported and normally in the path of a coin to said ledge, said finger being adapted to be moved by a coin and to enter an opening in a token to retain the latter on the ledge, said finger being clownwardly inclined to aid a perforated token in sliding from the finger, and means to cause the ledge to move from under the token to release the latter from said finger.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 29th day of June, A. D. 1915.

ELIJAI-I F. SPAULDING.

lVitnesses:

T. F. BOURNE, MARIE F. lVAINRIGI-ra Unpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

